updated 07:55 am EST, Tue January 19, 2010

Sony VAIO Z gets 4X SSD, switching, 1080p

Sony's European branch on Tuesday confirmed that the new VAIO Z (hands-on here) will have exotic performance options previously only hinted at. The 13.1-inch portable always has SSDs standard but will have the option of a quad SSD that operates as a RAID stripe. Since the 128GB or 256GB of combined storage has four times the theoretical speed, Sony estimates the drive can load data at up to 6.2 times faster than a regular 5,400RPM notebook disk.

The company also explains some of how the VAIO Z's graphics switching will work. It normally has a GeForce GT 330M that can give it significant 3D performance in a full "speed" mode, but a "stamina" mode will scale back performance to save on battery life. Sony doesn't explain whether this simply reduces the speed of the GT 330M itself or whether it reverts to Intel's built-in graphics.

Other notable revelations center on a higher-end version of the notebook: the Z9E trim level will have a rare 1080p screen for its size. It should also have 6GB of RAM and should be significantly faster as a whole, including the 2.66GHz Core i7 hinted at with the launch as well as the 256GB quad drive.

Europeans will have access to the VAIO Z by the end of March. Americans get the notebook in April and will pay $1,900.